The Armed Citizen® July 21, 2017

by
posted on July 21, 2017
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **
ac2009_fs.jpg (5)

A Virginia mother and her 7-year-old son were out collecting trash for the boy’s Cub Scout project when two pit bulls started menacing them along the road. To protect her son, the woman told the child to go home. Although the boy screamed as the dogs charged, his yelling did not scare off the animals. They lunged at the woman, dragged her into a ditch and tore at her body, causing severe injury. The woman’s landlord, a concealed-carry permit holder, happened by and saw the attack. In a letter to “The Armed Citizen,” he said he fired his gun, sending one of the canines scurrying off, then shot again at the one that stayed behind and was still attacking the woman. A friend of the woman arrived and administered first aid until the medics arrived. The woman was flown to a Richmond hospital with severe injuries, while her son suffered only a small scratch. Mecklenburg County officials have since initiated legal proceedings to have the dogs euthanized. (The Mecklenburg Sun, Clarksville, VA, 2/1/17) 

The Armed Citizen® Extra
Early one Monday morning, an intruder forced entry through a rear door of a house, waking the woman inside. The resident armed herself with a handgun and confronted the trespasser, shooting and wounding him. The criminal was taken to a hospital and is under investigation for burglary. (Ventura County Star, Castaic, CA, 6/27/17)

From the Armed Citizen® Archives
July 1959
Estquio Banayat, co-owner of a Sacramento, Calif., grocery, was sweeping the floor when a gunman entered and demanded the money. Partner Damaso Gumangan sensed trouble and emerged from the living quarters in the rear with a cal. .32 pistol. One shot from the bandit went wild and the grocer fired, hitting the gunman in the shoulder. Police arrested the felon. (The Sacramento Bee, Sacramento, CA)

Latest

Beretta APX Ported 01
Beretta APX Ported 01

New For 2026: Beretta APX A1 Ported

Beretta first entered the polymer-frame, striker-fired pistol market in 2017 with its APX, and nearly 10 years later, the company has added the APX A1 Ported to the lineup.

CDC Restores Basic Armed Citizen Data

As of Aug. 24, 2026, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s webpage is again providing defensive-gun-use data.

Rifleman Review: Taurus GX4 Strike Bravo

Since Taurus USA joined the micro-compact market with its GX4 in 2021, the company has expanded the line to include a number of different options, and the latest, the GX4 Strike Bravo, incorporates a unique chassis design.

Old (Un)reliable: Finding a Magazine that Works for Your 1911

There have been more than 100 manufacturers of 1911-style pistols and magazines, some more faithful to the original drawings than others.

3 New Shotgun Suppressors for 2026

Just because you're in the field hunting for upland game or busting clays at your local range doesn't mean you can't protect your hearing.

First Breach Begins Trading on NASDAQ Under "FBDT" Ticker Symbol

In August 2026, First Breach Defense Technologies, a producer of ammunition and unmanned aerial systems based in Hagerstown, Md., announced that its common stock had begun trading on the NASDAQ capital market under the ticker symbol "FBDT."

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.